Weekly 20 March

Ellie Smith & Parm Bhamra
March 20, 2026

STAYING IN

Watch the Peaky Blinders film
Read Lucien
Make a Farmer J Lunch

GOING OUT

Book a unique family holiday
Go cherry blossom spotting
Check out the Museum of Edible Earth exhibition

Dear Reader,

I want to try something out – I haven't done it yet but given that we need each other more than ever and that unless we have a social pact, anarchy looms, it might have legs. The idea is this: since Covid we pretty much all have a street WhatsApp group which is wonderfully useful for flagging whose car's been tampered with or who stole yet another Amazon parcel from the doorstep; but what about this? I'd call it 'Saturday hours' or something a tad more sexy and the message would be this: this Saturday, my family and I have two free hours to give anyone any help they may need. It could be walking your dog; taking something to the dump for you; help writing a CV; painting a spare room; weeding your front garden – anything within our (admittedly not that talented) skill set. In my head, this would then precipitate other neighbours on subsequent Saturdays to perhaps to do the same; maybe we have doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs, teachers, carers, chefs, just a few doors down from each other who might be able to help sort out someone else's problem, without them having to fork out extortionate amounts on 'professionals'. We'd get to know each other, we'd create a bond, we'd be ready to fight the bad guys – together, not each silo'd away only looking at the world through the abyss of a smartphone. Who's up for it?

Lucy Cleland
Editorial Director

Staying In

Watch the Peaky Blinders film

Back in 2025, we were thrilled to discover Peaky Blinders had been renewed for not one but two more series, taking us beyond Tommy Shelby’s dominance into a new generation of Birmingham gang. Slated to launch on the BBC and Netflix in 2027, there’s still a while to wait – and we’re sorry to say Cillian Murphy will not be reprising his iconic role in the series, which is expected to jump forward two decades on from the end of series 6. No matter: there’s still one more way to say farewell to Tommy and his flat cap. After landing in cinemas at the start of the month, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man is available to stream on Netflix from today. Starring Murphy opposite Stephen Graham, Barry Keoghan and Rebecca Ferguson, it’s an explosive final chapter in Tommy Shelby’s story as WWII and other sources of chaos erupt onto Birmingham’s streets. Streaming on Netflix.

Read Lucien

Many books riff on the long-standing legacy of Donna Tartt’s seminal novel The Secret History – but few live up to the comparison. But we have high hopes for J.R. Thornton’s sophomore novel Lucien (a decade on from his debut Beautiful Country), which blends a similar campus-thriller vibe with a Saltburn-esque slant of con-artist deceit. We centre on Christopher, nicknamed ‘Atlas’ by his bold, confident and alluringly sophisticated new roommate Lucien. It’s 2010 and the two are freshers at Harvard University, Thornton’s own alma mater. Awe-struck by Lucien, the newly minted Atlas is drawn into a lavish new world of parties and private clubs – but his finances quickly dwindle in the face of his new lifestyle. So when Lucien offers a lucrative alternative stream of income, Atlas is pulled into his seductive web. Out now.

Recipe of the Week…

Isle of Wight Harissa Puttanesca

If you live in London, you’ll likely know all about Farmer J: the spot beloved for its nutritious and delicious on-the-go food. And now, fans have the chance to recreate their own Farmer J-style dishes at home thanks to the release of a new cookbook, The Farmer’s Pantry. Penned by founders Nitai Shevach, Ali and Jonathan Recanati, it features over 100 recipes based around pantry staples – and we’ve nabbed one below.

Ingredients

Serves 4

500g Isle of Wight tomatoes, quartered (or halved if small)
4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra as needed
1–2 tsp chilli flakes (or to taste)
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tbsp harissa paste
4–5 anchovy fillets, finely chopped (optional)
1 tbsp tomato purée
100g pitted black olives, halved
2 tbsp capers
Zest of 1 lemon
Sea salt and black pepper

To serve:

300 – 400g pasta (spaghetti, linguine or rigatoni work well)
Fresh oregano or basil, chopped or torn
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan (200°C/400°F).
Chuck the quartered tomatoes on a roasting tray, drizzle with a tablespoon of the olive oil, season well and roast for 30 minutes until soft, blistered and caramelised. Once slightly cooled, blitz them in a food processor or blender with all the roasting juices, the chilli flakes, a touch more olive oil and a pinch of salt until smooth. Taste and add more chilli and seasoning if needed. Your roasted tomato passata is now ready.
Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and let it gently sizzle for 1–2 minutes without browning. Stir in the harissa and cook it out for a couple of minutes until it smells great. Add the anchovies (if using) and let them melt into the oil. Add the tomato purée, cook for a minute, then tip in the roasted passata. Stir, bring it to simmer and let it bubble away for 10–15 minutes.
Now throw in the olives and capers. Taste and season – remember the olives and capers bring salt, so don’t go mad.
Simmer for another 5–7 minutes to let it all come together. Finish with lemon zest and a grind of black pepper.
While the sauce is doing its thing, cook your pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, reserving half a mug of pasta water. Toss the pasta straight into the sauce and loosen with a splash of the pasta water if needed. Stir well so it’s all coated and glossy.

The Farmer’s Pantry is available now

Going Out

Book a unique family holiday

Yet to plan your big 2026 getaway? We’ve got some inspiration for you. To mark its 40th year, Scott Dunn has curated a list of 40 incredible trips, each one chosen because it will lift your holiday out of the ordinary and into the extraordinary. Our top pick: embark on a journey through Ecuador, where adventure spans from the Amazon to the Andes and the Galápagos Islands. Glide silently above the Chocó cloud forest on Mashpi Lodge’s Sky Bike, spotting waterfalls, butterflies, and rare birds from the treetops. Explore colonial cities, volcanic peaks, and island shores alive with sea lions and giant tortoises – a true feast for the senses. Kids will love the jungle adventures, wildlife encounters, and thrilling Sky Bike rides through the canopy. Find more holiday ideas here.

Go cherry blossom spotting

The sun is shining in London and cherry blossom season has arrived. As the capital’s parks begin to dust themselves with petals, the effect is transformative: pathways framed in pastel, lawns scattered with confetti-like blossom. But where are you guaranteed to spot the flowers? The magnolia trees are starting to bloom at Kew Gardens’ aptly named Cherry Walk just behind the Palm House – and be sure to continue along to Asano Avenue, where several varieties line the path, including the delicate pink flowers of Prunus ‘Hokusai’. Over in south London Dulwich Park offers a charming blossom experience away from the more crowded hotspots, while Holland Park’s tranquil Japanese-inspired Kyoto Garden feels even more poetic come springtime as cherry blossoms appear amid the cascading waterfalls and stone lanterns. Find more spots here.

Check out the Museum of Edible Earth exhibition

Following its landmark SOIL exhibition at the start of 2025, Somerset House is back digging beneath the surface this spring. From today until 26 April, the Museum of Edible Earth can be found in the Terrace Rooms, bringing the online research platform – which documents a global collection of edible soils – to life. The clue is in the name here: visitors will be invited to take a seat at the communal tasting table daily from 1 to 4pm, tasting samples of earth from the museum’s 600-strong collection of global samples, with tasting cards pointing out flavour profiles, mineral content, cultural histories and more. Then you can also contribute your own thoughts on compostable cards, adding to the growing, participatory archive. The whole experience is an example of geophagy: the global (if underground) practice of eating the earth, whether it’s for health, ritual or flavour purposes. After being founded in Amsterdam in 2017 and touring globally as a nomadic museum, this is the Museum of Edible Earth’s UK premiere. Until 26 April 2026, somersethouse.org.uk

Staying in Forever…

Property Of The Week

If this viral pair of moody black and bubblegum pink Malibu beach houses prove anything, it’s that opposites really do attract. Reaching their pinnacle of internet fame among the ‘Barbenheimer’ mania of 2023, these starkly different properties have been the subject of many a meme over the years. And now the whimsical Barbie dream house is up for grabs.

Available to rent for $38,500 a month, sothebysrealty.com

Competition Time

Win a bed and breakfast stay in a superior room at Hotel Café Royal
Win a Paris pendant and Marseille earring gift set from Austen & Blake, worth over £800
Win a two-night stay at the historic De Vere Latimer Estate

Psssst…

Today is the spring equinox, an astronomical event which is determined by the point the Earth is tilted neither towards or away from the sun. It’s marked in different ways around the world; in the UK the biggest event happens at Stonehenge, where druids and pagans gather at dawn to watch the sunrise above the ancient stones at 6.11am.